Interesting Vancouver Presents: Where Are They Now? Amanda Fenton, IV11

“If it’s about us, don’t do it without us.”

In celebration of Interesting Vancouver’s 10th anniversary, we reconnected with a speaker from each year to find out where they are now.

This week, we’re featuring conversation designer Amanda Fenton. In her 2011 talk, she shared how changing our perspective from ‘meetings’ to ‘hosted conversations’ can lead to co-creating solutions.

Our Interesting Vancouver event was the first time Amanda spoke on stage about the work she was co-creating in the world. And it changed her life. The experience helped articulate the essence and possibilities inherent in her passion — bringing people from diverse backgrounds together to create a conversation.

In the six years since IV11, Amanda started her own business and platform, Amanda Fenton Consulting, and now facilitates conversations on important issues all over the world. She’s sat with community members in Northern BC to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in their cities; hosted a circle of rebel change-makers in Ireland, who were striving to create equality for women in the Catholic Church (among other issues); and is now witnessing the incredible efforts of local BC organizations, who are working to improve policy and practice for youth transitioning out of foster care.

Back in 2011, she posed a question to us:

“What would it look like if _____ were working?”

She asked us to fill in the blank (using examples like our education system, housing, mental health programs), with an intention to inspire conversations aimed at issues around Vancouver. It was a valuable prompt at the time and even more so today.

How would you fill in the blank and who can you connect with to create a conversation?

For her full IV 2011 talk, check out the video below:

*Feature photo by Trevor Jansen

The 10th anniversary for Interesting Vancouver is happening on November 10th. We’re currently looking for ideas on some ‘interesting’ speakers — share your ideas with ushere.